Friday, 25 August 1994
Raku Okoshu, a high schooler and one of the biggest fans of ZAGE, was known for dragging his friends into marathon gaming sessions. Over time, he’d built a whole community around his passion, and today, he was surrounded by four of his closest gaming buddies. The group had gathered at their favorite haunt—Dream Catcher Arcade—a spot that had become like a second home. The reason? The long-awaited trailer for The Eight was about to air on national television.
Raku flipped through the newest issue of ZAGE POWER, ZAGE’s monthly magazine filled with interviews, previews, cheat codes, and behind-the-scenes insights. This issue had been teasing The Eight with cryptic messages, pixelated images, and speculation columns. No one really knew what The Eight actually meant.
"I think it might be a new game called The Eight," Raku said, eyes scanning the magazine.
"Maybe it’s a brand-new handheld?" one of his friends guessed.
Another shook his head skeptically. "No way. It’s gotta be about games... but eight of them? In one month? That’s just nuts. ZAGE didn’t release anything last month, sure—but eight? Who even has the dev time for that?"
Raku nodded, gripping the magazine tighter. "Well, let’s just wait and see. Whatever it is, it’s gonna be big."
The moment the clock struck 11:00 a.m.—the exact time ZAGE had promised the trailer would drop—every head in the arcade turned toward the giant CRT TV mounted on the wall. The TV belonged to Satonaka Kishin, the arcade’s gruff but kind-hearted owner. He turned up the volume and leaned on the counter to watch with them.
The screen faded to black. Then, with a sparkling animation and a crisp chime, the ZAGE logo burst onto the screen, glowing with power. A signature voice rang out: "ZAGE!"
The logo faded, replaced by bold white letters: "The Eight"
Then, a brief pause, followed by a reveal message: "The Eight = 8 Games That ZAGE Will Release This Month!"
A sweeping orchestral theme kicked in, amping up the energy.
First, the iconic voice of Mario echoed through the arcade: "It’s-a me, Mario!" followed by vibrant footage of Super Mario World. Mario dashed through grassy hills, soared with the cape feather, and mounted green Lizard Yoshi in a perfectly timed leap. Cheers erupted. The crowd couldn’t believe it—Mario was finally coming to ZEPS 2!
Next, the screen was shattered by bullet holes and war-torn noise. Contra 2: Alien Wars kicked in, showing Bill and Lance standing back-to-back, guns blazing. "It’s showtime," one growled. Explosions, massive alien bosses, and split-second dodges filled the screen. The audience also cheered finally Contra got a sequel!.
A green, clawed hand ripped through the digital screen next. Spawn emerged from a swirling portal, his voice gravelly: "Finally, it’s my time." Then it shows a bit of Spawn gameplay Fast-paced platforming and brutal action followed as he fights across eerie cityscapes. The audience gasped, and several fans shouted, "No way!? Spawn!? Isn’t he just an awesome Easter egg character!?" Their excitement rippled through the arcade as players tried to process the reveal. Cheers broke out—it was clear this was no minor cameo. Spawn was getting a full-blown game, and it looked incredible.
Suddenly, a boxing glove punched the screen with a loud SMASH. Little Mac stepped forward in boxing gear, fists raised. "Ready to rumble?" he asked, punching the air then the screen shifted again. Super Punch-Out!! gameplay rolled, filled with rhythmic dodging, counters, and uppercuts. "Yeah! Punch out Finally! the first LIGMA!"
The screen slashed with a glowing blade, revealing a blonde, noble-looking knight—Cress Albane. He nodded with a confident grin. The trailer shifted to gorgeous scenes from Tales of Phantasia, highlighting its dynamic real-time combat and epic story alongside its soundtrack. ""No way! Real-time combat in an RPG? Is that even possible!?" some fans exclaimed, eyes wide with amazement. The idea seemed revolutionary
Then came a more emotional turn. A massive beast crashed onto the screen but paused to kneel beside a delicate flower. The transition melted into the hauntingly beautiful world of Beauty and the Beast, then it showed the gameplay of the player using the beast and platforming in the castle. "Huh? Is that guy a beast? Then why is he wearing a gentleman’s suit?" one player asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief. The others looked equally puzzled, murmuring their confusion as they watched the scene unfold.
Suddenly, engines roared. A sleek red fighter plane zoomed into frame, weapons blazing. Explosions dotted the sky as the scene transitioned into the intense shoot-em-up gameplay of Raiden Trad, a feast of bullets and power-ups. "Whoa! such intense Shoot em up!" some of them chimed
Then the trailer paused.
A second later, an unmistakable voice rang out: "Aww!" followed by a pixelated Michael Jackson sliding into view, his sprite striking the Smooth Criminal pose. Music blasted. Moonwalker gameplay took over—Jackson danced, rescued kids, and moonwalked through waves of bizarre enemies then he danced together with his enemies. "No WAY!? Micahel Jackson game?" the audience clearly flabbergasted!
As the music swelled, the screen shifted one last time. All eight stars—Mario, the Beast, Bill and Lance, Spawn, Little Mac, Cress Albane, the Raiden plane, and Michael Jackson—appeared in a dynamic pose together. It was a power lineup unlike anything players had ever seen.
Then came the final reveal: Release Date: Tomorrow Saturday, 26 August 1994 For ZEPS 2. Stay tuned!
Gasps. Cheers. Applause.
Raku’s jaw dropped. "Eight... eight games! And that was Michael Jackson!?"
His friend just stared, speechless. "Incredible..."
The entire arcade buzzed with energy. People were already planning their purchases, picking favorites, and debating which game would sell the most. There was no weak link in the lineup its ZAGE they talked about after all.
Raku exhaled. "Man, my wallet is about to cry. I need a second job. I have to get all eight. No way I’m missing out."
His friends nodded, equally overwhelmed and excited. Some were already talking about weekend jobs and ways to save up.
The trailer for The Eight hadn’t just lived up to the hype—it had blown expectations away. And across Japan and USA, gamers everywhere were feeling exactly the same.
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